I usually buy books of photographs because I like the photographer. But sometimes I see something by a photographer I have not come across which seems interesting or unusual. This is such a book and, although I had not knowingly seen the work of Helene Binet before, it turns out that I have. She is a renowned architectural photographer who has worked with architects across the world and I immediately recognised some of her shots of Zaha Hadid's buildings for instance.

This book is slightly different although it shows her eye for detail. The classical Chinese gardens of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Helene Binet had visited them prior to a retrospective exhibition of her work at The Art Power Station in Shanghai. Her new visit to China in 2019 offered her the opportunity to revisit them. Whilst most people might choose to photograph the gardens themselves, which are extremely beautiful, (you can view the UNESCO site here)  Helene had been drawn to the walls of the gardens. These were interesting in their neglect, and the comparison with the well tended and impressive care of the gardens themselves, was a source of interest.

The photographs in this book (thirty one) were all shot on film using 4x6 and the less usual 6x6 formats. They are closely observed and reminded me in some cases of Anselm Keifer or Cy Twombley works - abstract, provocative and thought provoking. Plants appear in few of the photographs although in some the green of the leaves is a striking contrast to the white, stained and striated walls themselves. In some photographs we manage a sense of scale as the wall is viewed through a doorway or window. But most of the photographs show the walls themselves and the weathering, staining and the micro-organisms which grow there in the humid climate. Most look like alien landscapes and my imagination takes me on a strange exploration.

Helene Binet, a Swiss French national, lives in London. The photographs used here from her book are copyrighted to her and used for illustrative purposes only. The Walls of Suzhu Gardens is published by Lars Muller Publishers (2021) - ISBN 978-3-03778-880-4. Prices of all photographic books vary considerably but a copy of this can be found here and was the cheapest hardback version I could find at the time of my purchase...